June 2015
Volume 56, Issue 7
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   June 2015
A “fast food” diet alone is sufficient to cause age-related retinal changes in mice
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Gavin W Roddy
    Ophthalmology, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, MN
  • Robert H Rosa
    Dept of Ophthalmology, Scott & White Eye Institute, Temple, TX
  • Kimberly B Viker
    Ophthalmology, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, MN
  • Bradley H Holman
    Ophthalmology, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, MN
  • Anurada Krishan
    Dept of Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
  • Gregory J Gores
    Dept of Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
  • Sophie J Bakri
    Ophthalmology, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, MN
  • Michael P Fautsch
    Ophthalmology, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, MN
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships Gavin Roddy, None; Robert Rosa, None; Kimberly Viker, None; Bradley Holman, None; Anurada Krishan, None; Gregory Gores, None; Sophie Bakri, Allergan (C), Genentech (C), Regeneron (C), Valeant (C); Michael Fautsch, None
  • Footnotes
    Support None
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2015, Vol.56, 2334. doi:
  • Views
  • Share
  • Tools
    • Alerts
      ×
      This feature is available to authenticated users only.
      Sign In or Create an Account ×
    • Get Citation

      Gavin W Roddy, Robert H Rosa, Kimberly B Viker, Bradley H Holman, Anurada Krishan, Gregory J Gores, Sophie J Bakri, Michael P Fautsch; A “fast food” diet alone is sufficient to cause age-related retinal changes in mice. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2015;56(7 ):2334.

      Download citation file:


      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

      ×
  • Supplements
Abstract

Purpose: Previous reports have described ultrastructural changes to Bruch’s membrane and/or the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) including sub-RPE deposit formation in mice following a high fat diet. However, these mice also had an additional insult either through a genetic defect or following excessive light exposure or smoke inhalation. A “fast food” diet consisting of high fat, high cholesterol, and high fructose fed to wild-type mice revealed markedly different liver pathology with associated inflammation compared to mice fed a “standard” high fat diet. Since many retinal diseases including age-related macular degeneration are characterized by inflammation, we investigated whether the fast food diet causes changes to retinal morphology in wild type mice.

Methods: Three-month old genetically unaltered C57Bl/6J mice were fed either standard rodent chow or a diet containing high fat, high cholesterol, and high fructose-supplemented drinking water for 8-months. Whole eyes were enucleated from the mice, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1M phosphate buffer, processed, sectioned and examined by transmission electron microscopy.

Results: Mice fed a fast food diet (n=3) were 34% (p=0.04) heavier than mice fed a standard rodent chow (n=3). Compared to controls, fast food fed mice had retinal changes including attenuation, vacuolation and loss of nuclei in the RPE; thickened Bruch’s membrane; basal laminar deposits; thinning of the nerve fiber layer; and attenuation and nuclear pleomorphism of retinal ganglion cells.<br />

Conclusions: Wild-type C57BL/6J mice fed a diet containing elevated fat, cholesterol and fructose exhibit age-related morphological changes to the inner and outer retina. This model may provide insight into the pathogenesis of age-related retinal disorders and enable the testing of new therapies.

×
×

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

Sign in or purchase a subscription to access this content. ×

You must be signed into an individual account to use this feature.

×